MANILA, Philippines - On the first anniversary of the peace deal under his watch, President Aquino renewed his call yesterday for the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), warning that failure to forge peace would mean counting “body bags.”
Malacañang is organizing a “peace summit” to improve the BBL, with “citizen leaders” like Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle and tycoon Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala being eyed as “independent convenors.”
In a speech at Malacañang, Aquino said he has invited peace advocates who would help him persuade Filipinos that peace is the only way to go.
“This is the crossroads we face: we take pains to forge peace today, or we count body bags tomorrow,” Aquino said. “To those who have called for all-out war as the solution, do you think we’ll be able to talk peace after the shooting has started, when the wounds, and the failure of the talks, would be raw?”
He denied that he merely wanted to be able to tout the BBL as his legacy at the end of his term.
Yesterday was the first anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
Also being eyed as independent convenors aside from Tagle and Zobel were former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr., Howard Dee and Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman.
Aquino said the five were known for their “wisdom and integrity” in their own fields. Tagle confirmed receiving an invitation to serve as independent convenor.
Summit participants would dissect the proposed law “in a calm and reasonable manner that will not incite anger and hopelessness,” he said.
“This way, the BBL can be improved. They will write a report that will be made public, so that everyone may be informed, and so that more of our countrymen may understand the matter. In this manner, we will be able to advance a reasonable decision as regards BBL,” he said.
Philstar
